WindyCityOperaman
Dan Soda (Windy City Operaman) is a Chicago native whose first visit to opera was at age 17 and Massenet’s Werther with Troyanos and Kraus. Nothing was ever the same. Opera and concert performances, recordings and video are an obsession. He prepares Parterre Box’s daily birthday and anniversary tributes. He also enjoys concerts, live theater and movies.
On this day in 1975 the Metropolitan Opera completed its first integral Ring cycle since 1962.
Born on this day in 1890 two legendary tenors.
Happy 73rd birthday soprano Diana Soviero.
On this day in 1977 Alban Berg’s Lulu premiered at the Metropolitan Opera.
On this day in 1951 soprano Victoria de los Angeles made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Marguerite.
On this day in 1991 soprano Renée Fleming made her impromptu Metropolitan Opera stage debut as Countess Almaviva.
On this day in 1956 Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre, to run 2,717 performances.
On this day in 1991, a new production of Wagner’s Parsifal premiered at the Metropolitan Opera.
Happy 90th birthday mezzo-soprano Rosalind Elias.
With four hours’ notice and no stage rehearsal, soprano Marisa Galvany went on, making her Met debut as Norma.
On this day in 1985 Giuseppe Sinopoli made his Metropolitan Opera debut conducting Tosca.
On this day in 1953 a revival of Porgy and Bess opened a 305-performance run at the Ziegfeld Theatre.
Born on this day in composer Samuel Barber (1910) and conductor Thomas Schippers (1930).
On this day in 1976 mezzo-soprano Tatiana Troyanos made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Octavian.
Happy 88th birthday soprano Mady Mesplé!
Happy 75th birthday soprano Kiri Te Kanawa.
Sixty years ago today, Berg’s Wozzeck was first performed at the Metropolitan Opera.
On this day in 1830 Vincenzo Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi premiered in Venice.
On this day in 1970 mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Adalgisa.
Birthday anniversaries of composers Kurt Weill (1900) and Marc Blitzstein (1905).
On this day in 1913, the Met revived Manon with Geraldine Farrar and Enrico Caruso, Arturo Toscanini conducting.
On this day in 1862 Gounod’s La Reine de Saba premiered in Paris.
Happy 84th birthday soprano Mirella Freni.
Born on this day in 1802 author and playwright Victor Hugo.
Tell us: What was the best of 2025?
Parterre Box concludes the thrilling first year of Talk of the Town by inviting your lightning rod opinions on several more categories of operatic argumentation.
